This blog is essentially my online Curriculum Vitae. My stories have mostly appeared in Canadian magazines.

Jan 04, 2015

AFTER NEARLY 15 years of churning words into dollars, I'm shifting gears. I recently resigned as editor-in-chief of A\J, having spent nearly three years rebooting the 40-year-old publication into a vibrant, upstart media brand (here's my last editorial). In that role I also pioneered and lead the curation, organization and production of Night\Shift, an annual one-night-only walkable festival of art, culture and communal nocturnal adventure in downtown Kitchener.

I remain Night\Shift's festival director and driving force – I just wrapped this fantastic Storify recap of the 2014 festival's social media footprint. But I've also landed a contract with the City of Kitchener to produce more public space programming and assist downtown marketing efforts, and I plan to keep pouring my creative energy in that direction.

It's unlikely I'll do much freelance writing – this piece for Canadian Geographic about K-W was my last assignment, wrapped quite some time ago. I'll inevitably trickle out random contributions to Weird Canada about rad outsider recordings from faraway basements, bedrooms and\or garages. But mostly I'll be trying to catch people's attentions by animating space rather than assembling words.

Dec 22, 2014

LIKE SO MANY things in yoga, opinions vary about the wisdom of sequencing a practice to music. I find certain kinds of music to be unbeatable ingredients for laying down a solid foundational layer in many practice spaces and themes. Well-curated songs can support strong, steady and rhythmic breath, plus provide non-verbal cues to keep a yogi’s mind intent through particular poses or tough portions of a sequence. For practicality’s sake, songs are also great organizing devices for what to teach when and for how long.

At the same time, I agree that music can present a distraction. I’ve been using a few basic filtering rules to choose songs that feel capable of overcoming this legit concern: 1. Avoid songs with lyrics – they can ignite inner dialogue and/or other faraway life experiences that can unexpectedly take anyone out of the practice room. 2. Don’t ever accept vanilla new age music or pick something just because it’s Indian. 3. Seek out sound artists who strive to make cryptic, shape-shifting songs or atmospheric ear-scapes that resonate with deep, hard-to-describe emotions.

I like the idea of creating a roster of practice sequences that correspond to specific music mixes, each curated to match a distinct pace and purpose. My first crack at a practice mix is more of a multi-purpose experiment that has fit fairly well with a handful of bedroom sequences so far – 10 songs spread over slightly less than 59 minutes, knit together by some semi-recurring musical threads. Below I’ve made relatively random notes about particular qualities or utilities of these songs (with hints at each’s appeal for me), and included an mp3 for anyone who feels inclined to let their own ears, minds and bodies be guided by some of my favourite ambient yoga jams.

“The Six Million Dollar Sandwich”The Dead Texan – The Dead Texan (2004)A strong feeling of disembarking from day-to-day reality. Drawn-out oscillations bring to mind movement through mist across a body of water, the first ripples of an invisible route. My go-to song for a short centring in Child’s pose or Savasana; equally good for casual, free-form movement in standing or table top position to loosen up.

“Goodbye (instrumental)”Apparat – The Devil’s Walk (2011)I discovered this slow-burner as the soundtrack to an epic moment on the TV series Breaking Bad, which is likely why it makes me sense a sort of marching toward inevitability, perhaps to face a demon or difficult challenge, as the layers of the song slowly converge. A good mind-primer for the demands of any practice.

“Warm” Eluvium – Nightmare Ending (2013)Swells of synthesizer and soft, murky horns signal a rejuvenation, a careful revealing of greater depths. With each wave I can imagine my skin becoming gradually invigorated by a breathtaking cold lake. Overlapping parts of the song mimic the lean, unified movement of muscle fibres or limbs – rowing back and forth between flexed and outstretched, each opposite motion energizing the other.

“Cries”Loops of Your Heart – And Never Ending Nights (2012)Especially when this song’s drones begin to resemble the buzz of crickets, it almost literally makes me feel the enveloping warmth of a gorgeous summer day. Huge, juicy sips of air become automatic and my eyes glaze under the gleam of nature. I absorb the energy around me, blurring the edges of my skin and practice space. A strong place from which to spend 10 minutes kicking a practice into higher gear, perhaps by layering a handful of standing and/or balancing poses.

“Look Into Your Own Mind”Julianna Barwick – Nepenthe (2013)The balance of soaring, intermingled vocals and low-end reverberation reflect the dynamic balance required by many poses – simultaneous strengthening and softening, for example, or expansive action in opposite directions from the same root point in the body.

“Tides” Garth Stevenson – Flying (2011)The meandering ambient phrases and more upbeat percussive parts keep the dynamic balance tone flowing, perhaps to amass energy for a pinnacle pose – or at least to push through the last legs of upright challenges and into the slow arc of surrender into the mat. (Bonus point: One of QSY’s teachers played one of Stevenson’s songs in one of my first classes at the studio – the first time I’d heard his piercing cello. So I felt compelled to include it as a nostalgia-flavoured easter egg into my local yoga experience…)

“A Low and Distant Sound Gradually Swelling and Increasing” Shane Carruth – Upstream Color OST (2013)Although its mood and makeup are a little different, this song (with a hilariously straight-up name) forms something of a bookend to Eluvium’s somewhat similar “Warm” (track three). The sprinklings of dreamy piano and forlorn droning give smooth, unspoken cues to move towards quieter, subtler finishing poses (we’re at nearly 42 minutes by this song’s end), and they stretch out the echo of steadiness and balance between opposing dynamic forces.

“I am Sky” Laraaji – Celestial Music 1978 – 2011 (2013)A light and languid mid-tempo soul-soother that doubles as a nice wind down into more introspective restorative poses. The different rhythmic textures of the last minute and a half of the song are also great for jogging the mind back to the breath and body before it starts to wander too close to reality…

“Ash Fountain” Gobble Gobble – Neon Graveyard 12” (2009)It’s perhaps a little sombre, although certainly not emotionally one-dimensional, but the cutting simplicity and fuzz overdubs that fuel this lovely little piano ballad circle me back to the flotation imagery that started this mix – right on time with last couple active poses.

“Waterfall Winds” Alice Damon – I Am The Center: Private Issue New Age in America, 1950-1990 (2013)This may be the most relaxing song I know. No sweet sounds do a better job of letting me sink into whatever is beneath me and absorb the benefits of the last hour of practice.

Jun 10, 2013

WHEN I TOOK the reigns at A\J in January 2012, the first issue I contributed to was themed Art & Media. We've since rebranded the hell out of the publication and made that theme an annual one. The cross-pollination of those two moves led to the May/June 2013 cover above and a far more compelling vision of (and for) made-in-Canada environmentalism. I contributed one of the features to this year's Art & Media lineup, drawing on a handful of documentaries that smacked me upside the head (and heart) at last year's Planet in Focus film festival in Toronto. "How to See Things" is my riff on the useful perspectives and strategies that docs use to rattle the cages of modern civilization.

Mar 08, 2013

I POURED MOST of my blood and sweat (and perhaps a few tears) last year into rebranding A\J, the magazine I've been editing since January 2012. One of the many changes we introduced to A\J's pages (and online) was coverage of environmental documentaries, largely because there are so many incredible filmmakers out there on the embattled front lines and underappreciated fringes. In the last few issues I've published my reviews of three stunning films — Jeff Orlowski's Chasing Ice, Sarah J. Christman's As Above, So Below and Caroline Bâcle's Lost Rivers (where the image above comes from) — and you can also catch a glimpse of the magazine's layout redesign.

Jan 26, 2013

ALMOST THREE YEARS ago now, I began doing some communications work for a company based in Kitchener, Ontario, called REEP Green Solutions. Mostly I helped promote a century home that the organization had retrofitted with examples of sustainable technology and building techniques to show local homeowners how to upgrade old houses properly by investing wisely. Eventually I became involved in producing a report (mostly to appease the Ontario Power Authority), which REEP has always called "The Learning Document." Essentially it's the back story of how the project came together and what the team learned by going through the process of reconstructing an old home (well, two old homes, actually) and recasting it as a public education tool. At the end of 2012, I wrapped up this 45-page REEP House profile, which details the project's history, its design and contruction, and its preliminary impact in the community. The REEP House Learning Document will promote it and hopefully offer insights to other communities considering similar projects.

May 03, 2012

I STARTED A new gig in early 2012. It sort of came out of nowhere. I’m now editing the kind of magazine that I’ve always wanted the opportunity to work on: Alternatives. It is a small publication with plans to get much bigger, and I hope I can help accomplish that. (Yes, a new website is coming.) During my first couple of weeks on the clock, I contributed these two small pieces of writing to the “arts + media” issue, which hit newsstands this week. (Also, Gregory Euclide rules!)

Oct 04, 2011

Andrew Nikiforuk is perhaps the most spine-tingling author that I read with any regularity. Not because he writes thrillers, but rather because he explores the staggering frontiers upon which Canada's future is being shaped. For the October issue of Canadian Geographic, I reviewed his excellent new book, Empire of the Beetle, which argues that beetles aren't the pest destroying our forests, we are. Yikes.

Jun 02, 2011

FEW PEOPLE KNOW that Lake Winnipeg is poorly, and perhaps even on the verge of slowly suffocating itself. Fewer still know the smartest and most effective way to fix it, but thankfully a small army of scientists have been assembling a proper knowledge base for turning the ongoing discussion into a decision-making process. For the June issue of Canadian Geographic, I briefly reported on the soon-to-be-released trove of peer-reviewed research about Lake Winnipeg.

May 02, 2011

WHEN IT WAS published a couple of years ago, I couldn't wait to get my mitts on Anthony Flint's "Wrestling With Moses." The American author's lean chronicle of the epic mid-20th Century battles over public space that unearthed urban design pillar Jane Jacobs and buried NYC master builder Robert Moses is one the most vivid and enthralling pieces of historical non-fiction I've ever read (not that I've read a boatload). Once hooked, I was lucky enough to get to write (in mere fractional detail) about the walkable legacy of their face-off over the fate of Washington Square Park and SoHo. I highly recommend treating my piece as the primer it was intended to be (for WestJet's in-flight magazine) and actually go hang out in lower Manhattan with Flint's book under your arm.

>>> PDF >>>

Feb 26, 2011

AS IF THIS fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants freelancer gig didn't pay meagerly enough, I've recently launched a pro bono writing project. It's basically my excuse to harass musicians with an offbeat line of questioning as they put out new records, but also a niche with some room to spread out a bit. Stay tuned for monthly (and perhaps even bi-monthly) cover art back story posts in 2011.

Nov 16, 2010

IN THE SUMMER of 2009, I approached Flemish Eye records' impresario Ian Russell about creating an art zine in collaboration with his label's musicians, the aim being to celebrate their non-musical talents and exhibit their hilarious personalities. It was a total Hail Mary, but Ian liked the concept, and luckily so did the immensely talented folks he works with. I spent the following year crafting, editing, writing and wrangling together a polymorphous pile of ideas to help produce this one-of-a-kind, handsome 36-pager named EYE SPY, featuring original Chad VanGaalen illustrations (like the one above), rare artist interviews and a glut of other weird and wonderful visual contributions. We are currently distributing 6,000-plus copies to music buyers across Canada.

Nov 04, 2010

DURING THE WINTER of 2009/2010, I embarked on a big, reckless, soul-bruising adventure down the US West Coast and into the sweltering depths of Mexico (well, southern Oaxaca state, at least). I couldn't really afford the trip, so I scrambled to find work along the way, and managed to shop my way into a few dinero by hunting down edible Day of the Dead souvenirs in Tucson, Arizona, and by plucking gems from the markets and more artful retailers in Zihuatanejo, Mexico.

Sep 16, 2010

YOU MAY OR may not be aware that our lovely little (albeit massive) country is building the planet's largest recreational trail network, aiming to git'er done by the time Canada turns 150 in 2017. I spent a couple of days this summer with a community of kind folks who have built out one particular 50-km section of the TCT in short order, and profiled their efforts for Canadian Geographic Travel.

Sep 15, 2010

UNDOUBTEDLY, ALBERTA HAS three of country's most unique and fascinating attractions, all within a couple of hours' drive east of Calgary. Two are rubberneck-worthy novelties: a small-but-famous (and PETA-vilified) gopher taxidermy shrine and a muted, museum-style retort to evolution. The other is a breathtaking landscape where you can play paleontologist for a day. I took a road trip in late 2009 to check them out, and came back with this travel piece for Canada's History.

May 09, 2010

FUELLED BY GOB-smacking poke and arguably the planet's most sensational climate, I spent about a week on three Hawaiian islands trying to catch up with a dozen influential wave hounds for this profile series, featured on up! magazine's February 2010 cover. It was also the most recent of many working trips with my good buddy Jared Sych, a photography savant who took some amazing snaps between all the scrambling from beach to beach.

THE FIRST THING I wanted to do after escaping an office gig after four solid years of being deprived of sunshine was to get my meathooks dirty in the great outdoors. I earned a week of sweat equity on a hardscrabble farm and ended up profiling the exceptional folks who run it for Swerve magazine, an award-winning and consistently interesting small publication that comes out in every Friday's Calgary Herald.

IN THE FALL of 2008, I returned to the city where I'd attended university (a decade earlier) and had my mind tickled inside-out by how things had evolved. What I discovered on the ground while in Kitchener-Waterloo would eventually turn into perhaps my best piece of writing to date.

I WORKED AT up! magazine's headquarters in Calgary for more than four years, during which time I had final sign off (always on deadline) for about 50 issues of the magazine. Near the end of my run, I was travelling and writing like mad as well. I think the photo above illustrates the furthest away—physically and mentally—that I got from the office while I was still on the clock.

These three stories were all written in the first half of 2009, cobbled together from a handful of trips that took place within about a year of that time period:

THIS TALE OF woe chronicles my ass being kicked during a two-day taste of the alpine training regiment of Calgary Flames defenseman AndrewFerence, perhaps the fittest man I've ever met. This was one of the best pieces I wrote during my first crack at working as a freelancer. And it remains the toughest research gauntlet I've ever had to cross.

ONE OF THE perks of being a journalist is getting the chance to stalk your musical heroes without appearing too creepy.

I've been lucky enough to access a wide collection of famous folks who rock my world. These three stories are probably my favourites involving icons of rawk that I published in WestJet's in-flight travel magazine during my days working there as a managing and senior editor:

From a Halloween themed issue in October 2006 —Alice Cooper's Favourite Place: Toronto